Is it time to cut my losses?

Go to page

New Member

Hello everyone, new to the site. I have a question and need your opinions. I have a 1997 ex coupe with 157k on it and have put about 2k worth of repairs into it this year and have just found out that I have about another $1200 worth of rear suspension work (all new bushings, trailing arm, struts) and will be due for the timing belt in about 6 mo. So far this year I have replaces the AC, front struts (did them myself, but could not get the back end due to siezed components) new rims, a set of winter tires for my old steelies, new catalytic converter and exhaust from the cat back. My car is only booking for about 3k, If I do this additional work, it will be more than the worth of the car.

Do you guys think it is worth it to keep putting money into this one or should I cut my losses and look for something else? Opinions needed please!

GO! GO! GADGET VTEC!

to put it simple, its entirely up to you. you have to ask yourself if this is a project car or a daily-driver? depending on what you want the car to be, is going to effect the overall outcome of your choice. if its a project, keep it. work with it, and build it to your liking no matter what b.s. it throws at you. if it's a dd, then yes, imo cut your losses and start fresh with something else.

New Member

You also got to realize you're probably gonna have problems with other cars too. It looks like you'll be good to go soon, you've got all new parts! and I would look into suspension more. that's alot of money for just rear suspension

New Member

No, actually I bought the catalytic converter and cat-back online. I got a pacesetter hi-flow cat and a magnaflow 2.5" catback kit...but had a different muffler welded on as the straight through design was too loud for my liking. I also got the eibach struts (all 4) online also.

New Member

^ i agree with john if you got it from a dealership you got raped for it.
I would just keep it ,cause you know what all is new and have been replaced right ,any old car will have problems you could get another one and even more be wrong with it.
Look around on cl junkyards if you want etc hondas are really cheap to fix and sometimes its about the same price to get better performing aftermarket parts than the oem parts. Oem or aftermarket hondas are cheap to fix you just gotta search for some deals dont buy the first part that fits.

New Member

New Member

I have actually been looking online and not seeing anything that I would really want to replace this car with...plus I would be spending about 10k in order to get anything that is significantly better than the ol civic. I just don't know if I should just keep driving it the way it is and do the timing belt next spring and either try the rear end myself again or find a cheaper shop....or spend a crap load on a newer/lower mileage car. These decisions are harder than they really should be.

New Member

do you have to pay a shop for everything or for just the rear suspension job
I did my LCA's and installed a subframe brace today 3 of the bolts where seized in there its just a matter of patience i got them out in good condiditon and reused them.

New Member

When my civic's headgasket went at 210K in 2010, I was faced with the realization it was no longer a new or even a middle-aged car. I wanted to start buying tools and doing maintenance, but I also realized I couldn't expect it to work as a DD. I looked around for another car, and eventually talked myself into a new mazda3, but have really enjoyed giving the civic the attention it deserves, and having it around as the 2nd car. Not practical for everyone. If your repair costs are more than your car payments would be, it might be time, if you can only have one car...

New Member

I did the front struts myself, but god defeated when I tried the rears. I ran into seized parts and rotted out bushings at the lower strut mount and noticed that the bushings in the LCA, UCA and trailing arm where all rotted and cracked. That is when I gave up and took it to the dealer who said it would be $250 to replace the bushings and mount the rear struts (which I already have). When I took it in, they had it for a day and said that they could not get it due to siezed components that supposedly their impact tools couldn't get and said that they would have to cut the bolts to get everything out. Basically they said that they couldn't do it for the original price and quoted me the $1200. That price was for the trailing arm assembly also, but still.

New Member

New Member

IMO you should tackle it man you will never know if you dont jump in and do it at somepoint. If possible just have a mechnically inclined friend there as well.
I grew up in a family of mechanics so i sometimes take for granted all the tools the garage etc
It is possible that they woulf have to cut the bolts out, but if all somebdy is gonna do is cut the bolts out anybpdy with a tourch or some type of cutter can do that then you could replace the things yourself

New Member

Sorry, you just made me laugh out loud with that last post because I am the "mechanically inclined" person that all my friends ask to help! Funny. Any way, I am really leaning towards keeping my car, you guys are making excellent points that are completely true. Hopefully nothing else major happens anytime soon...cross fingers here!

New Member

Just didnt seem that way cause you said you werent sure about talking the waterpump, timming belt no offense man
Do you have any mods done to the car im just curious lol
Dont worry im that friend that has the 2 car garage impacts compressors and every other tool imaginable i could never stop working on friends cars if i wanted to

New Member

No mods really, just a K&N filter and the hi-flow exhaust now. It is basically your every day driver. It is the EX coupe with an auto and with shiny new aluminum rims for the summer! The reason I am really not sure about the timing belt and water pump is because I am worried I would accidentally mess up the timing....and sheer laziness I guess. I suppose I should quite being a wuss and just try the rear end again and do the timing belt/pump myself.

New Member

Post up some pics of it on this thread if you got some man
as long as you have impacts compressor ball ping hammer rubber hammer and regualr hand tools and sockets you should be able to tackle that rear suspension. Thats everything i needed to do my lca's and subframe brace. The lca bolts are notrious for being seized and stuck and some really do have to be cut out. I would try for a while before i did that though just to be sure
What kind of rims pics of rims if you got em

New Member

Unfortunately my air compressor isn't big enough to run air tools/impacts. Otherwise I pretty much have all of the other tools. The rims I got where nothing special 14x6's. Here is a picture of my car...its dirty I know.

New Member

Taking a loss on all the money you already put into the car and spending a ton on something new would not make sense at this point. It looks clean and really only has a few more problems. The car will last forever if you just hang in there. Spending money no matter what is always a pain in the ass with cars but like they said before either spend it now or later. I think you should keep the car and tackle the repairs...if you end up lost or confused you can always ask here for help, a lot people here can look at some pictures and figure it out.